Life at Garreg Mach University
by K242
Summary: The obligatory University AU. Kids go off to school, do dumb things, make questionable life decisions. Tale as old as time.
1. Chapter 1

As is her wont, Edelgard is punctual—to a fault.

Unlike the vast majority of her peers, Edelgard purposefully sought out morning classes during registration, her logic being that it would be an excellent mirror to life beyond college. To that end, she filled her schedule from 9:00 AM all the way until 5:00 PM with classes or extracurricular activities, and what little time remains would be allotted for studying and working ahead.

But Edelgard has been on campus since 8:00 AM, not leaving anything to chance: vehicle trouble, a traffic accident, or who knows what else. Life may seem a well-oiled machine, but rarely does it always run smoothly. As a bonus, though, arriving so early means Edelgard can enjoy a pleasure few others experience. The campus of Garreg Mach is picturesque and serene, and without the throngs of undergraduates that will soon flood its streets, the school looks as if it were pulled from another time. The way the morning sunlight filters through the trees, the refreshingly cool and silent air that is free of bus exhaust or incessant chatter, and the glittering dew on the freshly mown quads that dot the campus. It's the small moments like these are why Edelgard chose Garreg Mach for university; it's the small moments like these that Edelgard lives for.

As a member of the Hresvelg household, Edelgard stirred up a bit of a fuss when she told her parents that she did not want to follow family tradition and attend the University of Adrestia-Enbarr for her postsecondary education. For one, she put little stock in tradition. There may be perfectly valid reasons behind many customs, but it is not in her nature to do something simply because it has always been done that way. Edelgard prefers to strike her own path. But the bigger reason, yet the one she did not divulge to her parents, was the chance that others may claim her acceptance to be nepotism. Edelgard was valedictorian of her high school class and achieved national renown in both athletics and academics, but the mere fact that her father sits on the board of Adrestia-Enbarr means that some will claim that she only got into the prestigious school because of family connections. And while in her case such rumors would be false, Edelgard fully understands that networking and who you know are ultimately more important than your grades or how well you perform. And she despises this. Hence, her decision to break with family tradition and choose a different institution—though one no less prestigious or historic.

Garreg Mach University is an interesting little school with a fascinating history. In today's geopolitical climate, there exist three major powers in the continent of Fodlan: Adrestia, Faerghus, and Leicester. In the past, the three warred and squabbled amongst each other, but they were all still subservient to a greater power: the Church of Seiros. Nestled in the heart of Fodlan, the church established Garreg Mach monastery, which was to serve as a neutral ground between the three nations where their best and brightest could learn and mingle with their peers from abroad. Today, it serves a somewhat similar purpose, and Garreg Mach was even granted a special exemption by the governments of Fodlan that essentially make the school its own country. And while the school may have originally been the headquarters of a major religion, some years ago the church divested itself of control of Garreg Mach, deciding to dedicate the institution solely to academics.

It's already her third year at Garreg Mach, and Edelgard has a firm grasp on how to not only survive but to also excel. Not to say she had to struggle to find her way; from the first day of orientation her freshman year, Edelgard knew exactly what it would take for her to succeed in college. To that end, she took great care to not let her newfound freedom get to her head, much to the displeasure of some of her friends. Namely Dorothea. But Edelgard managed to establish some semblance of a work-life balance that works for her, and she also has to thank Dorothea for that. The musically-talented girl has become an indispensable part of Edelgard's life, and Edelgard wouldn't have it any other way.

When she finally arrives at her destination, Edelgard is no less awed by the impressive architecture of the monastery than she was when she first set foot on campus. She takes a short moment to simply admire the ancient building, wondering what sort of history must have transpired between its walls. What famous figures also strode along these very paths that Edelgard now walks. The thought both humbles and inspires Edelgard. She, too, wonders if someday a student hundreds of years into the future may stand before these doors and wonder if he or she is now walking the path that Edelgard von Hresvelg walked.

Edelgard takes a deep breath and pulls the door open, a rush of frigid air-conditioned air greeting her. For all its historic splendor and aura, the inside of this particular building has been renovated and modernized to suit its new purpose. A bit saddening, considering the monastery's extensive history, but the university could hardly let students suffer the vagaries of the mountain weather. Edelgard quickly walks down the hallway, her eyes focused dead ahead. She doesn't need to check the room numbers of the countless doors that she passes; she already knows where she is going. At the far end of the building are four sets of double doors, and behind them is Edelgard's objective: the main lecture hall.

Luckily, there are no classes using this room before Edelgard's, so there is no need for the awkward wait in the hallway for one class to end and the next to begin. Without any reason to loiter outside, Edelgard slips inside, the sound of the door closing behind her echoing throughout the enormous room. And now, as the first student to arrive to the classroom, Edelgard can now exercise the right she has earned: the right to be the first to choose a seat.

Usually, Edelgard would opt for a seat close to the front. It's something she picked up during her high school days, even if it did earn her some undesired monikers such as 'teacher's pet' or 'ass kisser.' Some just don't understand the value of taking education seriously, and Edelgard pities them. And in a vast lecture hall like this, being closer to the front would be ideal. It would mean Edelgard would be more able to hear the professor clearly and being visible to the instructor may help build a rapport between teacher and student. But the twin gargantuan projector screens at the front of the hall dissuade Edelgard from her usual habit—if she sits so close, she anticipates many a sore neck from craning her head back to read any lecture slides.

Edelgard also rules out a seat in the very back of the auditorium. On the school's web portal, each class' seat allotment is visible, and Edelgard very well knows that the number of students in this course would barely fill a fifth of the hall's seats, if even that. Sitting so far away would seem odd, and the professor may even request that all students sit in the first several rows.

So Edelgard compromises and chooses a seat towards the middle. A perfect balance of neither too far nor too close, where she should be able to hear anything the instructor says and the instructor can make eye contact with Edelgard, and in just the right spot where she can see an entire projector screen without any awkward maneuvers. Satisfied with her choice, Edelgard unfolds her chosen seat and occupies it before pulling up the attached desk. She quickly rifles through her bag for her notebook and textbook (which Edelgard has already read from cover to cover and its pages are lined with Edelgard's thoughts and questions to discuss with the professor), and once she has all of her materials Edelgard simply waits.

Only a few minutes pass before the doors to the lecture hall swing open, announcing a new arrival, and Edelgard turns her head to see who has joined her. She knows several of the other students enrolled in this class, so she's curious if she recognizes her new companion, but she instead finds a stranger. The new person is a tall woman (and is quite toned, Edelgard subconsciously adds on) with an unruly mop of green hair, and a striking and beautiful (objectively speaking, of course) face. She scans the hall for a moment before settling on Edelgard, and in a break from usual protocol, makes as if she wants to sit next to her.

Unusual, but Edelgard thinks nothing of it. There are plenty of sociable people at university, and it's not out of the ordinary for a student to look for new acquaintances on the first day of class. When the other woman takes a seat next to her, Edelgard turns to her with a demure smile and greets her.

"Good morning," Edelgard says. "My name is Edelgard. May I ask your name?"

"Byleth," the stranger provides. And that's it. It's not much, and it seems her new companion isn't as sociable as Edelgard thought, so she decides to take the lead. Sitting here in dead silence would be too uncomfortable, and it's not like Edelgard is doing anything else right now. And it's certainly not because Edelgard finds Byleth to be rather attractive. Nope.

Edelgard brushes an errant strand of hair over her ear, hoping it doesn't seem like she's staring. Or worse, ogling. No, that would not do at all. "So, I assume you're ready for class, then? You're here quite early."

"So are you," Byleth quips with the smallest of smirks, and Edelgard feels her heart skip a beat. How in the world is she so enamored with someone she didn't know existed until a few minutes ago?

"I can't deny that," Edelgard chuckles. "I try to make it a habit to no just be on time, but to be early."

"A good one to have." Byleth nods approvingly. "It would be safe to say that you've already read ahead, then?"

Edelgard places a hand on her textbook. She had done her research into the required texts for the class and purchased them before the previous semester even ended. "I think I have a firm grasp of this class' concepts," she says with confidence.

This claim seems to get a rise out of Byleth, but not a hostile one. Instead, there's a twinkle in her eyes, like she wants to challenge Edelgard. "Is that so? You wouldn't mind me asking some of your thoughts, then?"

And Edelgard was never one to back down from a challenge. "Please, I insist."

* * *

Edelgard finds that Byleth is a more than adequate discussion partner—no, more than adequate does not do her justice. Byleth demonstrates an immense knowledge of the material herself, elaborating and expanding upon many of Edelgard's insights while providing answers to her questions. Edelgard becomes so invested in their impromptu debate that she completely disregards the rest of the class' students entering the lecture hall and only realizes they are no longer alone when an insistent tapping on her shoulder drags her back to the real world.

"Hey, Edie," Dorothea says, giving an apologetic smile to Byleth. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you know if we're in the right place?"

The question confounds Edelgard. She had confirmed multiple times with her schedule that this was the correct lecture hall, so she's not sure why Dorothea is so uncertain. Edelgard quickly whips out her phone to check again when she notices the time. "It's 9:15," she says. "Where's the professor?"

"You know, if the teacher isn't here 15 minutes after class starts, we're legally allowed to leave, right?" Dorothea jokes.

To this question, Byleth flinches like she's been drenched in ice water. She shoots up out of her seat and quickly makes her way to the aisle. Edelgard wants to stop her, and she didn't take Byleth to be the kind of student to leave class at the first available opportunity. But her protest dies in her throat when she sees Byleth turn and head down to the front of the hall and takes her place at the podium.

"Ah. . .sorry about that," Byleth apologizes to the class, sheepishly scratching the back of her head. "I got a bit distracted. I kind of forgot that I'm not a student anymore—this is the first class I'll teach. My name is Byleth Eisner."

Byleth Eisner? Edelgard's eyes grow impossibly wide as she struggles to process this new information. She had checked some old copies of syllabi for this course for the textbooks, and each of them stated the professor's name at the top: Jeralt Eisner. And the online registration portal only listed the course instructor's last name, so Edelgard thought that she was taking a class with Jeralt.

"Wow, trying to talk up the professor already, were you?" Dorothea croons in Edelgard's ear, sending a shiver down Edelgard's spine. "Scandalous."

"It wasn't like that!" Edelgard hisses back. "We were talking about the textbook!"

"Of course, of course," Dorothea says knowingly. "Don't think anyone missed that maidenly blush you wore the whole time."

Edelgard can feel her heart stop. She thought she managed to play it cool, but it seems nothing could be further than the truth. Life never tends to go as one plans, after all.

"It was strictly academic," she insists.

* * *

The next time the class meets, Edelgard is sitting in the front row of the lecture hall, right in front of the lecturer's podium.

Dorothea must suppress the urge to snort.


	2. Chapter 2

"How was your first class, kid?" Jeralt asks with a fatherly grin, sighing as he sinks into his not-so-luxurious chair at his less-than-extravagant desk.

Jeralt is a bit of an odd one in the world of academia: he was actually once a tenured professor at Garreg Mach, but for unknown reasons he decided to up and leave a couple decades ago. It was a move that confounded his colleagues. Jeralt had achieved what every academic dreams of: a cushy tenure job at a prestigious institution where he can decide whether he wants to place more focus on his research or his instruction. All Jeralt ever said about it was that 'staying at one school doesn't sit right with him,' and so he become something of a legend among academics. A man with his resume and intellect, travelling to tiny universities across the continent accepting temporary adjunct faculty positions? Unthinkable.

But finally, his old employer and alma mater found his weakness: his daughter, Byleth. Byleth Eisner has long been heralded as a prodigy and genius, but thanks to her father's transient lifestyle she never managed to put roots down anywhere. Her high school transcripts were second to none, but she missed out on graduating as valedictorian because she transferred every single year of high school. Not that Byleth really cared about titles like that. She was just interested in her father and his colleagues; as she was raised among an eclectic assortment of intellectuals and academics, she rabidly absorbed all of the knowledge they passed on to her. The girl was gifted in a unique way; Byleth could process and master nearly any topic or activity she encountered given enough time.

The minute the dean of the university, Rhea, found out about Byleth, she offered her a full-ride scholarship, including postgraduate studies, with one condition: the Jeralt returns to Garreg Mach. Unable to deny his daughter the opportunity for a first class education (for free!), Jeralt grudgingly accepted a position at the university while Byleth breezed through her undergraduate and graduate studies in record time, defending her thesis and earning her doctorate at the tender age of 21.

Yet when it comes to more mundane matters, Byleth can be an utter fool.

"I forgot about it," Byleth answers plainly.

To his credit, Jeralt doesn't let any emotion show on his own face. Mostly because he had suspected something like this might happen. "Did you at least go in the end?"

"Oh, no. I was there on time."

Jeralt puts a hand to his mouth, puzzled. He knew his daughter is quite young to be teaching a university level class, but she is also extremely bright and talented. But to actually show up for her first class on time and somehow be late? It doesn't add up. "But you said you forgot about it."

"I meant that I forgot I was supposed to teach. I met a student who showed up early, and we talked for a while. She was quite smart and pretty," Byleth says flatly, her compliment more objective observation than subjective statement.

But Jeralt catches on. Byleth wasn't one to really notice a person's looks, only what they had to say, so his own curiosity is piqued. "Did you ask her name?"

"Edelgard."

"No kidding. . .you sure?" Jeralt asks. Jeralt is fairly familiar with many of the students at Garreg Mach, in part due to his special relationship with the school board but also thanks to his approachable nature—it's an old urban legend from his first stint as a professor at Garreg Mach that Professor Jeralt would occasionally hold office hours at his preferred watering hole in town ( a tradition he still carries on to this day). A legend with a grain of truth to it, if Jeralt must be honest. Not very professorial of him, but Jeralt never really cared for those stuffy old customs anyways. And besides, Jeralt is a staunch defender of the idea that developing rapport with students is just as important as imparting them with knowledge, so he'd never apologize for his decisions. The occasional gift of a bottle of fine spirits from former students never hurts, either.

But this particular student. . .Jeralt has not had the pleasure (or is it the displeasure?) of teaching Edelgard von Hresvelg. Not that he thinks her to be a poor, misbehaving student. Quite the opposite. He's heard both glowing reviews and horror stories about the fanaticism with which Edelgard treats her education, stories of Edelgard simultaneously impressing professors with her dedication and work ethic and terrorizing instructors who had the gall to be less than prepared for someone of Edelgard's caliber. He can only hope that Byleth will at least prove to be a match for the esteemed Adrestian.

"Yes. Do you know her? Violet eyes, snow-white hair. . ." Byleth describes Edelgard.

"Yeah, I know her. The question is, do you?" Jeralt asks pointedly.

Jeralt had more than his fair share of time teaching over in Adrestia. He never got around to Adrestia-Enbarr, also known as the Imperial University, because he tended to favor smaller schools that were more lacking in accomplished instructors. That's not to say that Jeralt is on bad terms with Adrestia-Enbarr. It was simply a matter of things just not lining up quite right. If he had the chance, Jeralt would take a position at Adrestia-Enbarr in a heartbeat. Enbarr is an amazing, cosmopolitan city, a leader in academics, technology, and economics, and a place that Jeralt has, on more than one occasion, considered as a place to finally settle down. As much as a mercenary academic like him can settle down. He's heard much about both the school and the city from one of his former and now-current colleagues, Manuela Casagranda, an alumnus of the Imperial University. From her, Jeralt has been led to believe the Enbarr is the shining jewel of Fodlan, and its reputation is only marred by the legions of idiotic suitors that populate the city. Jeralt has never voiced his thoughts, but he's noticed one constant among each and every one of Manuela's releationships. . . .

"No," Byleth says bluntly. Jeralt suspected as much. His daughter has always been less concerned about potential rivals and more worried about herself.

Jeralt considers warning Byleth. That Edelgard can be a difficult student, that Edelgard hails from a lineage of famed scholars dating back to the earliest days of Fodlan's history. But, a bit childishly, Jeralt also realizes that he's interested in seeing how this plays out. Perhaps a bit unprofessional, but hey: Jeralt's only an adjunct. He isn't held to quite a stringent a standard as his tenured colleagues are.

"Well, you're going to learn a whole lot about her this semester, kid." Jeralt ruffles Byleth's hair, an affectionate gesture that has yet to get a rise out of his stoic daughter. "And a whole lot about yourself, too."

"Learn about myself?" Byleth tilts her head, confused. "But I already—"

Jeralt groans.

How can someone so intelligent be so dense?

* * *

Edelgard rues the day she agreed to share a house with Dorothea. Not that Dorothea is an awful person to live with—quite the opposite, actually.

In high school, Edelgard never really associated herself with the fine arts to any degree: the extent of her participation ended in elementary school, and she typically kept to her own (miniscule) social circle. However, she actually knew who Dorothea was before they first met at orientation. How could she not? Dorothea Arnault was a household name throughout all of Adrestia, and maybe even Fodlan. She was perhaps the most popular musical act of the time, her talents ranging from pop music to classical opera. It was in a performance of the latter with the famed Mittlefrank Opera Company in which Edelgard first heard Dorothea's voice at the imperial opera house in Enbarr. Edelgard was enchanted; she did not know the girl on the stage, but she imagined her to be a refined, classy woman.

Still, when Edelgard and Dorothea were paired together as freshman roommates, Edelgard wasn't quite sure what to expect. She had her own preconceptions of what a music student and former superstar should be like, and Dorothea did live up to some stereotypes; Dorothea also smashed through any and all of Edelgard's preconceived notions and walls.

The gregarious singer was always friendly towards Edelgard even though Edelgard did her best to stay distant. Edelgard didn't come to Garreg Mach to socialize and play around, and it soon became Dorothea's mission to force Edelgard to unwind and relax. Even though Edelgard rebuffed every invitation to hang out, Dorothea was undeterred. Instead, she would make conversation with Edelgard while they were both in their dorm room. Edelgard didn't always take an active role in these talks, but she was ever the attentive listener. And listening, Edelgard learned much about Dorothea beyond her shallow understanding. Things like status never meant anything to Dorothea, and the day she finally managed to crack Edelgard's shell was when she told Edelgard her story.

Dorothea came from nothing. Throughout her entire childhood, she had no home nor family. Nothing except her voice, which was only discovered through sheer luck. Dorothea often sang to herself as a way to fill the lonely void in her heart, though melody was never a true replacement for companionship. Lingering in a back alley with no friend other than her song, Dorothea just so happened to catch the ear of another famous opera singer (and current university professor), Manuela Casablanca. Manuela spirited Dorothea away and became her legal guardian, and the tempestuous singer used every resource and connection at her disposal to give Dorothea both the musical training and academic education to help her succeed in life.

When Edelgard asked why Dorothea left behind that life of stardom, the songstress got a faraway look in her eyes, and Edelgard instantly understood that Dorothea had aspirations beyond wealth and fame. Dorothea was one of the lucky few who was blessed with a gift that could save her from a life of wretched poverty, but for every success story like hers, there are still countless children out there who will only know a life of suffering. Knowing that her looks and talents would not last forever, Dorothea chose to retire from the spotlight and pursue higher education, so that she might be able to help change the world for those kids in need.

In Dorothea, Edelgard found a kindred spirit who wished to help equalize the unlevel playing field of life, and she found herself opening up more and more to Dorothea, and before Edelgard knew it, they were steadfast friends.

But right now, Edelgard wants nothing more than to get away from Dorothea.

"Come on, Edie," Dorothea wheedles in a sultry voice directly into Edelgard's ear, sending shivers down Edelgard's spine. "Dish. What do you think of Professor Eisner?"

Edelgard gulps, both her body and mind hyper-sensitive after Dorothea's teasing whispers. Edelgard does acknowledge that Dorothea is attractive, even if she was never enamored with the other woman, but Dorothea just has this effect on people. "Byl-I mean, the professor. She's quite young for the position, but she is more than qualified. She displays a mastery and an insight into her field that few other could match."

"Oh, I'm sure someone here wouldn't mind matching with her, if you catch my drift." Dorothea winks at Edelgard, and it takes every ounce of Edelgard's substantial willpower to not cover her face in embarrassment: for one, because Dorothea, as always, has her figured out; two, because Dorothea's joke was painfully bad. Edelgard still lets her mask slip and a smile small graces her lips, but it remains a question if her mirth is a product of Dorothea's infectious personality or Edelgard's own thoughts about a certain beauty with blue-green hair.

"Dorothea, please." Edelgard sets down her book, which is already annotated so much that Edelgard's own writings may very well outnumber the printed text. "There is nothing there. It's exactly what it looks like: she is my teacher, and I am her student. We hardly even know each other."

"So, you're saying it's only a matter of time. Teacher-student relations. . .how scandalous!" Dorothea gasps, a hand raised to her mouth in mock surprise.

Edelgard can only hold her composure under this constant teasing for so long, but by some miracle she manages to bite back her high-pitched retort, compromising with a despondent groan. "Please stop."

"Then will you stop having a crush on the professor?"

Lest she do something she regret (or more likely, let something slip that Dorothea will never forget), Edelgard gets up in a huff and runs away to her room, but not quick enough to escape Dorothea's parting tease.

"Be honest with yourself, Edie!" Dorothea says in a melodic, sing-song voice.

In the relative safety of her own bedroom, Edelgard flops onto her bed and buries her face into a pillow. She can feel the heat on her cheeks warm the soft fabric, and no matter how much Edelgard wants to protest, she knows Dorothea is spot on.

Edelgard has got it bad.

* * *

Note: Okay, so minor timeline inconsistency with the end of the first chapter, but this was originally a one shot. Just imagine that Jeralt and Byleth talk after the first day of classes. Because I am too lazy (and crippled by writer's block) to go back and fix that up.

Also, weird question: when Hubert says "Lady Edelgard," does anybody else have the urge to portmanteau that into "Ladelgard?" Yes, pronounced exactly how you'd expect. Ladle. Gard.


End file.
